


One Thousand Cherry Blossoms

by Wesakechak



Category: Fate/Grand Order
Genre: Anthology, F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-01
Updated: 2019-10-31
Packaged: 2020-11-16 14:50:46
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 31
Words: 7,658
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20847419
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wesakechak/pseuds/Wesakechak
Summary: An anthology of Fate/GO ficlets, focussing on The Gudaguda crew and a couple others.Inktober prompts daily





	1. Iron Poison

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Inktober Day 1: Poison

Okita’s chest burned as she ran through Kyoto. Her feet pounded on the packed dirt of the crowded streets. Ahead of her, people were reeling from the red blur in front of her, others were stumbling back to get out of the way of the blue and white haori. Okita let out a shout, and the red caped girl in front of her hopped, twisting around, white teeth flashing for a moment. Then, in the next instant, she slipped into an alley. 

Okita’s lungs threatened to give out as she skidded to a halt, and changed directions into the same alley. This was more Sakamoto’s line of work, chasing people down. Usually people knew not to run from the Shinsengumi. Yet not the red caped girl. The spirit. Laughter rang through the alley, and Okita slowed down, drawing her katana. Her eyes scanned for vibrant red, or the flash of gold. 

Something shifted to her side, and Okita turned, slashing down her katana. Steel rang against steel, and Okita saw red eyes in the shadows, and then the girl stepped out, pushing both their blades aside.

“Looks like you caught me.” The girl who called herself Oda Nobunaga said. 

“Again.” Okita reminded her. Nobunaga’s laughter was like gunshots. 

“In that case, you’ll get your usual prizes.” She said, then waited.

“Why are you in the capital?” Okita asked. Oda Nobunaga died at Honnoji, she was born in Owari. Why then, did she haunt Kyoto. 

“This is the capital of the country I helped found. Why shouldn’t I be around here?” Nobunaga spread her arms, bowing mockingly. 

“That still doesn-“ Okita was cut off by the spirit grabbing the front of her haori and mashing their lips together. 

Nobu’s kisses were hot and wet, poison on Okita’s mouth. They tasted of blood and gunpowder. It made her chest clench as she was pressed against the cement walls of Kyoto. It made her breath hitch, far worse than any summer heat. Yet she wouldn’t push Nobunaga away. She would always hunger for her kisses. She had been told that many spirits and gods would wander places they were connected to, far after they were no longer useful. (The fact that she had been told by one of those spirits was not yet known to her.) So, when the kiss ended and Nobunaga was gone, Okita breathed easier and sheathed her sword, making her way through the still crowded streets, waiting for the next reports of petty arson.


	2. Keep What I Said In Mind

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kagetora hunts for essence.

Laughter crackled like burning bones in the air as Uesugi Kenshin made her way through the tangled forest. Her horse moved with the same silent certainty that she did, though it was weighed down by the remnants of the demons she had slayed, the materials needed to keep Chaldea running. Returning those were not a priority for her at the moment, she was concerned with other problems. Namely the other Dragon who was meant to be accompanying her, the source of the laughter she was following. 

She soon found the source, the Dragon Witch was fighting a dozen of the common demons that occupied this nameless forest. Currently, she stood in a small clearing, backed up against the treeline opposite of Kenshin. The Avenger’s banner had been skewered into the ground behind her, and she had drawn her sword. Uesugi Kenshin reined her horse to a halt outside the clearing and dismounted, keeping herself among the trees. The Alter of Jeanne d’Arc was volatile at her best, and being scolded for not helping her after the fact was far better than being attacked by her ally in the middle of battle. Plus, she was more than certain that the Alter would handle things.

As long as she kept her wits about her and did not dissolve into mindless bloodshed. 

The laughter was not a promising sign. 

The first demon fell with a single swing of the Alter’s blackened bastard sword, its essence scattering on the ground. The second and third soon followed, the latter giving the Avenger a cut on the cheek that caused her to reel and shout out a wordless cry as she sliced its head off. 

The fourth got a more personal death from the Alter, being stabbed through the chest and toppled over to ground. She raised her sword and hacked down, black ichor spraying on her face. She hollered like a woman possessed. 

No, the Dragon Witch did not keep her wits about her. And the remaining eight demons formed a crescent around her, baring their claws and screeching. Their enemy screeched back, charging one. Kenshin heard breaking bones as the demon caught the Alter in her chest with a swipe of its claw, tossing her back. The black sword spun in the air before landing point down in the soft ground. Kenshin shifted the grip of her spear, but continued to only watch the battle unfold. 

With one last shout, the injured Alter lifted her hands over her head, and the demons exploded in a conflagration. The heat lapped at Kenshin, and she glanced back at her horse to make sure it had not fled. It had not; in life she had made sure it was trained against anything deterrent, and that had survived into this life. 

As the demons fell, Kenshin approached the clearing, now ablaze with cursed fire. There was a circle of it caging the Alter in, and she casually walked up to it, feeling the unnatural flames grow hotter. With a detached casualness, she slashed her weapon across the ground in front of the fire, the dirt kicking up and smoldering a small section of it, wide enough to fit her through. On the other side was Jeanne Alter, her eyes showing her madness. 

The first thing that Jeanne Alter did was charge Kenshin, with no weapon in her hand. It was hardly a battle, simply a movement of a metre to the side, and a strike with the shaft of her naginata across Jeanne Alters shoulders, bringing her to the ground. There was a groan from the Alter, and she looked up at her companion.

“Crapetora.” Jeane Alter hissed out through gritted teeth. Already her face was beginning to show signs of the burns from her Noble Phantasm, and Kenshin knew that the other woman’s arms were covered in the burn marks. Such was the price she had to pay.

“You do know that you could have easily beaten them without resorting to that.” Kenshin chided, scooping up Jeanne Alter and walking through the path she had cleared before. The fires would die out eventually, and Kenshin had enough materials on her horse to meet their quota for the week. 

“Shut up.” came the quiet response, though it lacked the intensity of the woman who had burned those demons. 


	3. The Universe We Know

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Devil Saber finds herself in an unusual situation

For the third time today, The Devil Saber questioned her life choices. She was glad for her second chance to live, though it was serving the counter force. She could fight once more, free of her consumption. And it would be serving a higher cause, the integrity of human history. What she had questioned though, was her alliance with one of the people she had been sent to eliminate. And her ally’s methods. 

“Is this really necessary?” She asked again, watching the red haired Demon King circle in and out of her vision. They were in a Japanese forest, somewhere near Tokyo, and they were hunting what the Demon King’s niece had dubbed “Nobbus”.

“Oh, Majin,” The Demon King cooed, “we both know that Oda Nobunaga is linked to Okita Souji, and-“ the Demon King was out of her view, but a hand reached into it to pinch her cheek. “-You are Okita Souji.”

Majin would have made the Demon King pay for such a transgression against her, had she not been suspended off the ground by a harness of ropes that wrapped around her chest and arms. She still managed to kick feebly where she thought the Demon King was. It did make the Demon King circle her so they were facing each other again.

“I meant all of these ropes. Could I not just yell, and cut them down?” Majin asked. The Demon King smirked, and patted her head. 

“No, my dear. You see, you’re the bait.” She proclaimed. “This is helping you too. You want to kill Oda Nobunagas, I want to be the last Oda Nobunaga, we both benefit from this.” She reminded her before slipping out of view, no doubt towards her hiding spot. Majin sighed, the ropes creaking, and she waited for the rhythmic call of the deformed Nobbus. 


	4. Gates On The Mountain Peaks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Okita is glad for Nobu's powers, for once.
> 
> Day 4: Freeze

Okita shivered from merely looking outside the large cave that she had taken shelter in. Outside, a storm raged, blinding snow and blistering winds. Behind her, Nobunaga was busying herself with preparing a kettle of tea. Neither of them had anything to burn, aside from the clothes on their backs, so a sustained fire was out of the question. She let out a cough, wiping away specks of blood onto her scarf. For once Okita was glad that Nobunaga had the power to create fire, or at least heat. The small warlord was cradling the kettle, pressing her hands to it as steam arose. Her red eyes met Okita’s, and her face twisted into a sheepish grin.  


“Yes, yes. I know Okita. We should have headed back to base when we got the message.” Nobunaga preempted Okita’s complaints. Okita sighed, pulling her haori tighter around herself. The winters in Chaldea were far harsher than what she was used to, and the cold air was like needles on her lungs. The cave at least was relief from the biting wind that swept down from the peaks of the mountains. She pulled out the transmitter, finding the signal was still scrambled, and sat down next to Nobunaga. She could feel the heat coming off of her companion.  


“You know, back in my day, if you ever got caught in a storm like this then your best bet would be to find a deer. Kill it, gut it, and put yourself in until it passed.” Nobunaga reminisced, letting go of the kettle and tipping it into the small metal cup that she had stored in her cloak. She put the tea up to her mouth, smelling it, before passing it to Okita. Okita pulled back slightly, waving her hand.  


“You should drink it.” Okita told her. Nobunaga shook her head, offering the cup again.  


“No, I got my own fire. You, on the other hand.” Okita shot her a glare, and Nobunaga scoffed. “You got your own problems.” She finished. Okita closed her eyes and accepted the tea, taking a sip of the bitter blend. It did warm her though, travelling through her chest and gently heating her core. Then, she felt herself being pulled back, until she would have tipped over, had it not been for Nobunaga. The other woman had wrapped her arms around Okita’s chest.  


“What’s this for?” Okita asked, trying to rise but finding Nobunaga’s arms were firmly around her.  


“Well, you don’t need to cut me open.” Nobunaga laughed softly, “And it’s better if we don’t test if Servants can freeze, right Okita?” Okita sighed, settling against Nobunaga as she gently guided Okita to the floor.  


“Right, Nobu.” 


	5. Let Us Move Forward

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A brief reflection on what a second chance at life allowed those of the Oda Clan to achieve. 
> 
> Day 5: Build

There were two stages of innovation. The tearing down of the old and the building of the new. All in all, for all their claims of being innovators, the Oda Clan was only really good at the first part. Nobunaga had been the first of the great unifiers, the first to show that someone could unite the islands under one person, she had torn down the old conventions of the Sengoku era. Yet, she had also died early, too early to see her dream fulfilled. Chacha had tried to see the Toyotomi clan ascendant, yet for all her hard work, she had merely been a stepping stone towards the Tokugawa dynasty, an agent to tear down the last vestments of the bygone era. In the end, both of them had ended in fire, a collapsing castle and a cold blade. It was only after they had been drawn out of the aether, certified as Servants, that they could put that part of them behind. And so they did, Nobunaga in a tumultuous way, as was her character. The fights against Okita Souji started out as just that, fights, yet soon the insults they hurled back and forth lost their edge, and though they did not cease entirely, they were also joined first by gentle compliments, and then by light touches on the arm or the cheek. Oda Nobunaga had had a family when she lived, yet her dreams and aspirations had pushed them to the background. Now though, she could focus on her budding relationship with the last remnant of the era she made, who still clung to the traditions that she had helped put in place, even when innovation came again to tear down Okita's world. For Chacha, she was finally allowed to live her youth, to reconstruct herself as a person, away from the hated figure that had supposedly ruined a dynasty before it could even begin. They both were finally allowed to build as Servants in Chaldea, and they were both happy. 


	6. This one, that one

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Devil Saber is caught off guard

The small room was laden heavy with smoke, and The Devil Saber tightened the grip on her blade, watching the other person in the room as they took a long, drawn out drag of their pipe, before blowing it out into the air between them. They sat on opposite sides of a low table, the room poorly lit and the light that did seep through the narrow windows only accentuating the smoke. The Devil Saber coughed, making the other woman let out a laugh. 

“Too much for you, Souji?” The Demon King twisted the name out of her mouth, making the Devil Saber tense. That was something that The Demon King should not have known, something she had no way of knowing. “I’ll stop then.” The Demon King tipped her pipe over, emptying it into a bowl set beside her. 

“How do you know my name?” The Devil Saber asked. She was an agent of the Counterforce, and though she had corrected many of the changes in human history, she had yet to encounter this Demon King, one fully realized in her form. In response to her question, the Demon King rose, walking around the table. She radiated heat, enough that the smoke would be pushed aside from the swirling of air currents as she moved. The Devil Saber started to move her sword, only for the Demon King to deftly grab the hilt as well, and pin the sword to the ground. She was nearly on top of the Devil Saber now, her red eyes glowing in the dim light. The Demon King’s other hand gripped the Devil Saber’s shoulder, keeping her where she was sitting. 

“Oh, Okita Souji. What don’t I know about you?” The Demon King asked, her voice husky and far too close. 


	7. Warding Evil Spirits

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kagetora muses about a most intriguing individual. 
> 
> Day 7: Enchanted

The Dragon Witch was enchanting. Nagao Kagetora did not use the word lightly, nor in the modern sense of someone who she could not avert her gaze from. It was not as if she did not lack those modern charms, as well as she could understand them. But her interest with the Alter of Jeanne d’Arc was of a different sort altogether. 

“Why are you still following me?” She had asked once. The Alter was not the first to seek her out. Some came to kill her, others came to gain the favour of Bishamonten. All were repelled eventually, unable to keep up with the Avatar of Bishamonten. Repulsed by her unnerving smile.

All except for the strange little Alter. 

“Fuck you, Kenshit.” As elusive as ever, not giving her a straight answer yet not there for the reasons others were. As enchanting as ever to the Dragon of Echigo. 


	8. Dwindling in the Light

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chacha deals with effects of her curse
> 
> Day 8: Frail

Chacha was not surprised that the horse made of water did not like her. With the fires blazing under her skin, no doubt it felt uncomfortable with her riding it. Or perhaps it was blaming her for its master’s misfortunes. Chacha would not fault it for that either. Regardless, the horse was slow to listen to her commands, and she was sure the only reason it didn’t just boot her off was because of its other passenger. 

At the very least, the horse was still there, which meant that Marie hadn’t passed out yet. That was good. They might still make it back then. There was a light groan from behind Chacha and the pale arms that were wrapped around her chest shifted to get a better grip. Chacha glanced back, looking at Marie as she clung to Chacha. It would have been a lovely day for them, it was a clear day in the countryside surrounding Orleans, neither too hot or too cold. 

“I am fine, Chacha.” Marie tried to smile, though it came off as strained. She set her head between Chacha’s shoulders. Chacha could feel the shallow breaths blow down her back. 

“You told me that before as well.” Chacha puffed out her cheeks, indignant. It had been dumb to agree to go here with Marie, so soon after they had figured out her defense parameter had dropped. The horse they were on shook its head and snorted.

“Yes, and I simply miscalculated how much damage that Wyvern would deal.” Marie replied, settling herself against Chacha for support. Chacha grimaced, prepared to make a counter argument but unable to. “I will simply live and learn.” Marie could not change the fact that she had fallen in love with Chacha, Chacha could not change that she was cursed to bring the people who loved her to ruin, manifesting as lowered parameters in servants. Chacha also could not change the fact that, as she goaded the horse onward, she felt a few deeper feelings than concern for the frail Rider clinging to her back. 


	9. Western Revolution Starting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nobunaga promises to show Okita a new dance
> 
> Criminal!AU 
> 
> Day 9, Swing

Oda Nobunaga could confidently say that she was a swinger, in the new fangled talk that was being used in these days. She had to be, considering her position in the town. She had her finger on the pulse of everyone, she made sure to know everything that was going on. And her work showed, she owned most of the bars and dance clubs in the part of the city the Odas operated in. Such as the one she sat in now. She made sure to get the best musical talent she could find in the area, get the best sake and other, imported drinks, and hire on the finest chefs. She was here to innovate, and the face of the night life in the country was changing, it was taking up Western ideas, just as the rest of Japan was. 

“Well, this isn’t half bad.” Okita noted from across the table they were currently sitting out. They were tucked away in a corner for privacy. Nobu watched with amusement as Okita tried to remain relaxed in the club. She was always going to be a police officer, even when she had said that she was off duty when Nobu found her early that night. 

“Of course not, I do ensure that I keep my businesses legitimate.” Nobu flashed a grin, and leaned back in her chair. They both knew that Nobunaga was anything but legitimate, but there was little Okita could do, as much as it annoyed her that Nobunaga could flaunt herself like she did, practically daring her office to investigate. 

With a sigh, Okita surveyed the room, focussing on the area that had been set aside for dancing. There was a new type of dance she had never seen, set to music she had never head. 

“What’s that?” She asked Nobu, not taking her eyes off of the energetic dancers. There was no reply immediately, though when Okita darted her eyes back to see where Nobunaga had gone, the small woman had already pulled Okita to her feet. 

“It’s all the rage in America, the Swing Dance. How about we try it out?” Nobu winked at her. 


	10. Just Like Those From Our Previous Lives

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nobunaga washes Okita
> 
> Day 10: Patterns

Nobunaga thinks that for a woman who died longing for battle, who’s inability to fight is so tightly woven into her legend that the disease she suffered from followed her into this second life, Okita Souji has the marks to show she is a skilled fighter. 

“Nobu, stop staring.” Okita chides the other servant. Nobunaga glances up from where she had been looking, seeing the pink tinge on Okita’s cheeks. They were in the shower, which was nothing new, but Nobu insisting that she wash Okita was. 

“Why should I, I like what I see.” She stated, boldly. Okita huffed, the patterns of scars on her chest shifting as she inhaled. Nobunaga reached forward, touching a faint one that ran across her gut. Nobu herself had a similar scar, though hers ran deeper, and twisted up towards her ribs. 

“I was too weak to cut much more than skin when I tried.” Okita explained, letting out a sigh. Nobu nodded. Okita didn’t need to revisit that memory. And she wouldn’t have to, Nobu thought as she moved to another scar, this one on Okita’s arm, where the leather bracer would usually cover. She took Okita’s hand in hers and moved it so it was close to her mouth. There was more than one scar there, a criss cross of blows from where the bracer had merely blunted the blow rather than stopped it entirely. 

Nobunaga brought the centre of the pattern to her mouth, and slowly kissed it. 


	11. Go Ahead, Keep Shooting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jalter gets more than she expects from a snowball fight. 
> 
> Day 11: Snow

Kagetora’s reflexes were far too fast to be hit by the surprise snowball that came from behind her. She ducked, twisting around by instinct to see who had thrown the harmless projectile. She already knew who it was, there was only one person it could be after all. 

She was not expecting the second snowball to hit her in the face. Still, as the snow melted and trickled down her face, her smile didn’t waver. Her companion’s rusty laughter filled the chilly air, the pale Alter of Jeanne d’Arc doubling over in giggles as she pointed at Kagetora. 

“Got you, Kenshit.” Jalter called, her voice breathless. Then she started laughing again. Kagetora nodded absently, then kicked up some of the snow underneath her. It easily clumped together. 

Jalter took her eyes off of Kagetora, needing to look at the ground as she caught her breath. The impact of the snow on Kagetora’s face had been utterly satisfying, she had been waiting to pelt her companion for days now, and now Kagetora couldn’t even offer a retort.

Her laughter died down as the sun was suddenly blocked, and she looked up. Kagetora was standing over her, her arms holding a scoop of snow twice as big as Jalters head. Jalter hardly got time to gasp before Kage unceremoniously dumped the snow on her, burying her head as she toppled forward into the ground. Snow trickled through the neck of her jacket, running down her back and making her swear into the muffling snow bank. 

She suddenly felt a pair of strong hands pull her up, and she landed on her back. A weight settled on her chest and she groaned. Kagetora was smiling down at her, the perpetual smile not wavering. Two snowballs were in her hands. 

“Got you.” Kagetora echoed 


	12. From Reaching Clear Blue Skies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Joan, younger sister of Jeanne, searches for a dragon in her small French town.
> 
> Day 12: Dragon

The road, if it could be called that, up the mountain was treacherous. It was truly a path that had been worn out by the comings and goings of animals. It had a very faint impression of being traversed, but it was definitely traversed by something that could climb better than a human. Joan cursed, looking down at her village that was nestled against the forest at the base of the cliffs. Her sister wouldn’t approve of her cursing, though her sister wouldn’t approve of a lot of what she did. Jeanne would lecture her on not taking the Lord’s name in vain. Yet, if the Lord had designed this trail, he was certainly vain for thinking anyone could climb it.  


A rock she was grabbing on to came loose, and she quickly scrambled to find purchase again, as her previous handhold tumbled down the few hundred feet. Gritting her teeth, she kept going. The ledge she was aiming for wasn’t that much higher, and when she got there, she could rest. After all, she had seen the dragon that inhabited the cavern over her village fly out of it’s roost. And if she could get one of its scales, she could show Jeanne that she wasn’t just making up those stories. So, she continued to climb the goat trail, keeping track of the sky.  


Joan was breathless when she finally pulled herself onto the ledge. Below her, the fields of Southern France rolled on until they touched the horizon. She took a deep breath of the crisp air, a rare smile of joy on her face. She could get used to living up here, rather than in the village which cast distrustful eyes upon her every move. Still, it wasn’t as if she couldn’t move, the tales of her being a jinx upon the village had to end somewhere. Even if she would have to leave her sister behind, it wasn’t as if Jeanne would be better off without her. Huffing, she turned her back to the vista and entered the dark cave.  


She had hardly gotten three steps in before a shadow fell across her, and she could hear the sound of something hard hitting the ground. Joan whipped around, and fell back onto her rear. The dragon, which she had seen so often from afar, had curled itself around the entrance.  


“So, the thief finally made her move.” The dragon mused. It looked nothing like the dragons she had seen in the stained glass windows, or those that were described to her by the other youths of the village. Those dragons couldn’t speak, nor were they not so… serpentine. Joan could see that the dragon in front of her had four legs, though they were not large in comparison to the winding body, and she thought she had seen wings before, yet this dragon lacked them. “What? If someone has stolen your voice, you should know that it was not me.” The dragon continued, cutting off Joan’s musing. She focussed on the dragon’s face, alabaster white scales with a single patch of glassy black scales on what could be a forehead. The dragon’s mouth was curled up in what might be a smile, the mouth dipping up at the end of the snout, yet with no teeth bared. “Well you haven’t yet run away.” The dragon observed, and leaned forward so its snout was nearly even with Joan, “What did you come to take from the Dragon of Echigo, thief?” 


	13. That Bouquet That Surrounds

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The third castlefall was her last
> 
> Day 13: Ash

Chacha tasted ash in her mouth, as the fires climbed Osaka castle. Hideyori wouldn’t burn, she told herself. He had had an honourable death. She had been Hideyori’s Second, it was a mother’s duty to bring their child in to this world, it was fitting that she would give him the painless end. She had wondered if her Aunty Nobunaga had felt the same way in Honnoji, alone in the inner sanctum, ancient timbers snapping and popping as the fire roared around her, the heat and smoke sweltering. Chacha coughed, wishing that she had some water. Anything that was cool. The only cool spot in the room was her sword, poking her side. It had not been the one that killed HIdeyori. She had set that blade beside her, instead it was one she had taken from the armory, one she had used and though herself a second coming of Oda Nobunaga. All those who had loved Chacha were burned, and she was left alone to plunge the toothed blade in and drag it across her gut, to yank it upwards as the room collapsed down around her. The ash mixed with blood in her mouth, and her world faded to red. 


	14. Boys and Girls Becoming Samurai

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Okita looks out her window
> 
> Day 14: Overgrown

The garden outside her window was overgrown

She had become bed ridden so could not tend to it  


Her sister was busy tending to her so she could not tend to it  


Weeds choked out the garden

Like the blood filling her lungs


	15. From That Big Guillotine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Okita Souji realizes who she's been chasing
> 
> Day 15, Legends. 
> 
> Sorry about the delay, had to do schoolwork all day yesterday.

“You’re Oda Nobunaga, I’ve read about you.” Okita Souji pointed her blade at the small woman in front of her, whos eyes glistened red with amusement as she leveled the musket at Okita. Okita had seen weapons like that before, set alongside old bows or spears. Weapons of a bygone era, now that rifles and pistols had been introduced.   


“That I am, that I am.” Nobunaga laughed. Her finger hovered over the trigger of the musket, so that it would be a mutual kill if either of them made a move. Or, Nobunaga noted, that is what Okita would think. She wouldn’t die, just as she hadn’t died for nearly three centuries. “So, tell me Souji, what do the books say about me?” She smiled, taking a step closer so Okita’s sword pressed against her neck. 


	16. Veterans Who've Trained Through Struggles

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nobunaga reflects on the Shinsengumi's fighting
> 
> Day 16: Wild

Oda Nobunaga would always be surprised about one thing, no matter how many times she saw it. For a woman who was reserved, sickly, and controlled her emotions all the time, Okita Souji let that go when she fought. Especially when the Demon Berserker took the field with her. Oda Nobunaga was used to controlling armies, of ensuring that it would run smoothly. After all, it took coordination at Nagashino to overwhelm the Takeda cavalry with musket fire. She wasn’t unfamiliar with the craze of the melee either, she had fought in the mud and reeds before, where you could only hope that someone in front of you were the ones trying to kill you, and the ones behind you not trying to kill you. The Shinsengumi, on the other hand, lived for that part of combat, and it showed in battle, a wild gaze in their eyes by the end of beating back the enemies. Something even Nobunaga couldn’t keep up with. Yet, Okita would return to how she was outside of battle once it was done, she would cough up her own blood rather than bathe in someone else’s. 


	17. Riding on a Penny-Farthing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marie learns about her old jewelry
> 
> Day 17: Ornament.

Marie Antoinette used to own a crown, during her first life. As the queen of France, it was to be expected of course. She had owned many expensive jewels, one of her favourites had been the large blue diamond that had hung on the family’s Golden Fleece. She loved it, the way that it had reflected the shimmering lights in the palace, a thousand pools of cool ocean water in its facets.  


She had wandered what happened to that diamond afterwards. The answer quite surprised her, as she found out lounging in her room one day during what she had dubbed her new  _ salon.  
_

“If you want the diamond, Chacha will get it.” Chacha proclaimed, sticking her chin out pridefully. “Chacha can certainly pay for it.” She waved her hand, gold bars appearing in them.

“That price is what will be paid to the museum.” The Chevalier d’Eon retorted, pointing her fingers accusingly at Chacha. “I doubt that those Americans will be willing to part with it.”  


“And it is supposedly cursed, such an accusation should not be taken lightly.” Jeanne added.  


“It hasn’t cursed the museum though.” Chacha shot back, “Perhaps the people who owned it were just unlucky. Jeanne and d’Eon both frowned, exchanging glances.  


“I will leave it up to Lady Marie.” d’Eon finally said, turning her gaze to Marie. The queen was deep in thought, though there was a whimsical expression on her face that made d’Eon nervous.

“The name, it is the Hope Diamond, no?” Marie sighed wistfully. “It must be amazing.” She sprung up from the bed, pointing out the door. “Let us go, Vive la France!” 


	18. We Are Still Far Away

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reflections on Two Loners
> 
> Day 18: Misfits

No one sat with Nagao Kagetora in the common room of Chaldea. There were various reasons for that; her constant smile would put people off, or else those who knew her knew that she was prone to philosophizing on about what was moral to her. Very few people were considered moral in her eyes, so she wouldn’t respect them. The various gods, divine spirits who inhabited Chaldea as Servants were likewise distrustful of her. She was an avatar of Bishamonten, after all, and a god of war was not the most pleasant company, without being tempered by another domain. So, she sat in silence, alone.   


No one sat with the Alter of Jeanne d’Arc in the common room of Chaldea. There were various reasons for that; her constant scowl would put people off, or else those who knew her knew that she was prone to cursing up a storm and insulting anyone who got close to her. Very few people were tolerable in her eyes, so she wouldn’t respect them. The various Alters, the Servants drawn from the hidden aspects of their counterparts, were likewise distrustful of her. She was not a natural Alter, not something that came from Jeanne herself, but a creation of the insane Gilles. So, she sat in silence, alone. 


	19. The Harlots in Procession

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> One instance where Okita is saved by her strange companion
> 
> Day 19: Slung

Okita’s world bounced up and down as her eyes slowly fluttered open. She had been on the battlefield when her chest had clenched and she had fallen, coughing up blood. Her disease had finally caught up with her, and she was going to die. The scent of blood mixed with the gun powder, her heart pumping in her ears mixed with the sounds of the shouts of horses and men. She had been near the front lines, taking shelter behind a rock when she had finally passed out. Yet, she had not died. Instead, she was being carried, an arm around her waist told her that she was slung over the other person’s shoulder. A comrade, she thought? Toshi, or Saito? She could see another of the Shinsengumi, one who knew of her ailment, to ensure she was safe.   


Her question was answered when she was spun around suddenly, and there was a cry from the person holding her. A second later, she heard three cracks of thunder tear across the battlefield and her world was obscured by the sulfuric smoke of three thousand muskets firing, a thousand in each blast. A moment after that, there were screams as the muskets hit their marks. Then, the woman who seemed to follow her through her life was running again, the metal on her western uniform clanking as she carried Okita to safety. 


	20. Running Along the Line

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Various characters critique ridiculous boots
> 
> Day 20: Tread

“It’s ridiculous.” Was the first thing that came out of Jalter’s mouth when she finally got a good look at what the group had been staring at.

“She does make it work though,” Marie commented, tilting her head to the side to look pensively. 

“Chacha thinks they could be made to look better.” Chacha stated, crossing her arms and harrumphing. 

The question is how well can she fight in those.” Kagetora, always practical in matters of combat, added. 

“I could use a pair of those.” Nobunaga pensed, looking over at Okita, those could make her taller than the Sakura Saber.

“You wouldn’t get a single step in those.” Okita retorted, scolding the small archer before returning to the performance.

“All of you, settle down.” Maou raised a hand, a triumphant smile on her face. She had, through a very slow process, gotten Majin to platform shoes twice their original height. This was a momentous occasion for her. 


	21. Don't Look Behind

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nobunaga always kept something in a box
> 
> Day 21: Treasure

Nobunaga never talked about what she kept in the lacquer box. Okita knew that it couldn’t be a cleaning kit, Nobunaga was adamant about not using something like that on her sword. And she opened it at all the wrong times, whenever she thought she was alone, yet nothing came out of it. Okita had never seen inside it, and she had enough respect for Nobu’s privacy not to pressure her to show it. Whatever it was, it was more valuable than any of Nobunaga’s other possessions, any other pieces of her legend. At least to her.   


It took a while before Nobunaga could show Okita lay in the box. And what was in there surprised her to no end. It was not gold, nor was it a conquest of battle, instead a simple comb lay inside the box, resting atop a silken pillow. It was not hers, Okita knew. Nobunaga’s hair was tangled and knotted, as wild as she was. Then it occurred to her; Nobunaga had had a wife. It was not something most people would know, it was not something that Okita thought about all that much. It was something that did not fit into the legend of the Demon King, but it was a truth of Oda Nobunaga. 


	22. March On To Our Saintly Deaths

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Uesugi Kenshin sees the ghost haunting her
> 
> Day 22: Ghost

“I don’t want some… Westerner haunting my camp.” Uesugi Kenshin declared into the forest. There was laughter like the wind creaking pines, and a ripple on the long grass caught her attention. The general lifted her spear, ready to defend against the entity. It began to materialize, hair as pale as her own and scars where the metal armour did not cover. Golden eyes shimmered in the night. 

“Yet here I am, drawn to your lost cause.” The ghost whispered. It was a woman, young as Kenshin herself. 

“A lost cause? I am the avatar of the god of war himself.” Kenshin declared, only to be met by more laughter. 

“We both know that isn’t true.”


	23. Let Our Hearts Be Open To It

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And now for someone, completely different
> 
> Day 23: Ancient

The Underworld rose with the founding of Uruk. For every stone lifted into place, the underworld coalesced, as did the heavens above Uruk. It was the center of power, so it was only logical that the centre of creation and the centre of death should follow it. Until they became not simply places, but beings, gods. 

That is what Rin Tohsaka learnt a second before Archer’s sword would have ran her through the heart. Before that could happen, the world froze and she felt herself being spirited away, her body being carried through the sky. She could rest now, the goddess of death told her, she would live on through her, help shape the goddess as she adjusted to living among mortals. That, Ereshkigal told her, she was grateful for. 


	24. Darkness Has Just Engulfed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Maou gives Majin Sake
> 
> Day 24: Dizzy

“Drink.” The Demon King demanded, passing the ceramic bottle towards her somewhat reluctant companion. “It’s just sake, though I do warn you, it may be a bit stronger than what you’re used to.” 

“It can’t be that bad.” The Devil Saber shrugged, letting the Demon King fill her cup, before doing the same to her own cup. 

“Cheers, as they say.” The Demon King lifted her cup in a salute, then drained it in a single shot. The Devil Saber tried to do the same, splashing down the alcohol. It was indeed a lot stronger than she was used to, and it sent her head spinning. 

She decided she needed a place to rest her head. So she slowly collapsed into the lap of the Demon King, guided by the Demon King’s own hand. 

“Adorable.” She heard before slipping into sleep. . 


	25. Like an ICBM

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chacha wants to show Marie something
> 
> Day 25: Tasty

“You wanted to show me something, Chacha?” Marie asked, following the Berserker as they both walked through the bowels of Chaldea. The ceilings were lower here, and pipes running with water and steam crisscrossed the walls of the tunnels they travelled through. Chacha had been giddy since she had returned from a singularity a week ago, initially brushing Marie off by saying she was busy and that she was planning something that wasn’t ready.   


“Yes, yes. I did. You will see it soon enough.” Chacha waved her hand to ease any doubts Marie might have had. She led them deeper into the heart of the fortress, until finally they came to a small boiler room door, cast iron with a wheel lock on it. Chacha grasped it, and turned the wheel. Metal creaked as the locks retreated and the door swung open. Inside were a simple folding table and two chairs, along with a large industrial boiler with more pipes snaking in and out of it. Marie’s eyes were drawn to what was on the table though.

Nearly the size of her head, glistening gold, was a Grail. In the Grail were three scoops of ice cream. In the ice cream was a small silver spoon. Chacha giggled gleefully, walking into the room before turning around and with a flourish, gesturing at the Grail.   


“Behold, the tastiest ice cream you will ever have.” She declared. 


	26. Escaping This World

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sparring in the dark
> 
> Day 26: Dark

“The strongest light casts the darkest shadows.” It was by no means meant to be insensitive, but Jeanne Alter growled from the comment. As too did Jeanne herself, who stared with all her god given fury at Gilles. The Caster shrunk back, becoming more hunched and looking more nervous at the righteous glare.   


“It is not proper to make that comparison.” She snapped. It was true that Jeanne did not always get along with her Alter, the moments she did were few and far between, but she would not let an insult such as that pass her way.

Jeanne Alter, of course, did not hear her original’s rebuttal, for she was already storming off to find somewhere to be alone. The training area was usually quiet, so she made her way there, fuming over the injustice of being an Alter. It was indeed dark in the room, abd she intended to keep it that way.

At least until she saw the sparks dancing through the air, lighting up a blade as it scraped against the floor. Jeanbe Alter summoned her banner, and metal rang against metal in the dark, the sparks revealing a perpetual smile.

“Not now Nagao.” Jalter spat, thrusting with the spear point on her banner. It was deflected easily, and her opponent stepped back further into the shadows.

“You needed to relax, and this is how you usually do it?” Nagao Kagetora noted.

“When did you find that out?” Jalter snapped, yelling into the darkness. There was laughter off to her side, and she turned, striking into the pitch black room.

“I just did.” Kagetora replied, as Jalter head the scrape of boots against the ground behind her. 


	27. Kill All The Evil Fiends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There's rain in Shinjuku
> 
> Day 27: Coat

It was raining in Shinjuku, cold and pounding on the glass skyscrapers. The streets, of course, remained as crowded as always; people simply pulled out umbrellas or threw on coats to dissuade the rain. Or else they stayed inside, as was Jalter’s plan. There were fights to be had on the inside, and she was ready to get on with them. Of course, she couldn’t start yet. She needed to wait for her partner, since it wasn’t safe to fight alone, Da Vinci said. Jalter had threatened to burn her, but that had only brought her master into the debate.   


So, she was paired with the other unlikable person in Chaldea, who was currently running late. Jalter paced, tapping her foot impatiently. Then, without a coat or an umbrella, her partner arrived, soaking wet. Water trickled down the equiset robes and the long white hair. Nagao Kagetora shivered, and Jalter laughed.   


“Is something funny?” Kagetora asked, her voice shaking as she shivered. Then she sneezed, though Jalter felt as though Kagetora hadn’t noticed it. Jalter huffed. Couldn’t she recognize that she was sick?

“Here,” Jalter growled, slipping her coat off and tossing it at the waterlogged Servant. Kagetora snatched it out of the air by reflex, and examined it curiously. “We don’t have all day, and you’ve wasted enough time already.” 


	28. On The Train Tracks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nobu goes for a ride

Nobunaga was screaming as her stomach lurched up to her throat, and she squeezed her arms tighter around the Rider in front of her. She, of course, needed to get to Okita before Okita’s lookalike did. But that required flying, and she wasn’t all that keen on flying. Especially when it was on a dragon’s back.   


“Should I eat her?” Oryou asked Ryoma as Nobunaga continued to scream. Ryoma looked behind him, watching Nobu start to turn green.   


“Oh, Souji wouldn’t like that so much.” He called back, patting his wife on the back. “And we do need to save her from whatever is disturbing our passenger here.” 


	29. With that Ray Gun, Fight!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kagetora bites off more than she can chew

The smell of iron was thick in the air as Jalter worked with the limited supplies of the medical kit. The smell was in contrast with the sound, the laughter that sprung from her bloodsoaked companion. Jalter couldn’t tell where Kagetora’s blood ended, and where the blood of her enemies began, for she had bathed in it.   


“I’m quite fine, thank you v-” Kagetora began, and Jalter twisted a splint into place, cutting her off as pain ran through the self proclaimed avatar of a god. 


	30. Can't Reach Ears Anymore

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Maou becomes the hunter, and Majin the hunted

“When you make yourself a hunter, your predators quickly fall into traps. Don’t you agree, assassin?” Maou asked. Majin huffed in response, it was one of the few things she could do in her current circumstances, bound and sitting on Maou’s horse as the Demon King rode through the forests that she had lured the Devil Saber to. Now, she was Maou’s latest catch. “Oh, don’t be so sullen, I’m going to be asking you a lot more questions.” Maou continued. 


	31. Surely This Will End In a Denouement

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marie organizes a harvest festival

It was Marie’s idea to celebrate the fall harvest, even though the mountains of Chaldea could and did grow plants all year around in the hydroponic gardens that jutted out from the base. Still, it was something that she knew others needed. And, of course, it needed to be perfect.   


“Here, Chacha.” Marie tossed an apple to the Berserker, who fumbled with it in the air before finally catching it. “Taste it, and see if it is ripe.” She asked, already moving on to the other food that she wanted to use. 


End file.
